Vietnam should create breakthroughs in 2019 to complete the 2016-2020 socio-economic development plan and create a foundation for the next five years, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said.

In an interview with the Vietnam News Agency, the official stressed greater efforts are needed to fulfill the GDP growth target of 6.8 percent set for 2019 by the National Assembly.

To that end, he proposed improving the domestic business environment to facilitate the operation of businesses and reduce production and business costs.

The private economic sector is expected to drive growth, he said, emphasising the need to remove difficulties and barriers and create an equal playing field for enterprises.

The Government has taken actions to enable businesses to access new technologies as scientific-technological innovation is an urgent need of the national economy, the minister noted.

Preparations for intensive international integration and the improvement of the capacity of the national economy as well as businesses would help Vietnam optimise opportunities, especially those generated by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which came into force in Vietnam on January 14, he said.

Dung also said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Vietnam are expected to remain attractive destinations for global investment in 2019.

Reviewing Vietnam’s economic performance in 2018, he said national GDP grew 7.08 percent, the highest level over the past 11 years.